Power for six million households
The two nuclear reactors under construction at Hinkley Point C in Somerset county in the southwest of England represent one of the biggest and most ambitious energy projects in Europe. Bilfinger is on board as a tier-one supplier.
The construction of Hinkley Point C has progressed rapidly since work began four years ago and the facility is increasingly taking shape with the outline of the two reactor buildings as well as more and more plants and components visible on the site near the town of Bridgwater. Another important milestone was reached in mid-September when the steel housing, known as the liner cup, was lifted into place on the second reactor building.
Bilfinger is involved in many of the construction-related services at Hinkley Point C. The company was selected by French energy group EDF and its UK subsidiary as a tier-one supplier on the construction project. That makes the industrial services provider not only one of a small number of suppliers strategically managing the project together with EDF but also a preferred partner for future projects.
Among the initial services provided by Bilfinger is the construction of the nuclear plant’s three main piping systems. These include the pipework for the Balance of Plant (BOP), Balance of Nuclear Island (BNI) and Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS). Bilfinger will be responsible for the execution design, prefabrication and delivery as well as supplier management on the BOP, BNI and NSSS pipework.
Bilfinger UK, Bilfinger Engineering & Technologies from Germany and Bilfinger Peters Engineering in France will work as a team to provide these services. “We are combining several of our Group units’ strengths and experience to perform the technologically demanding piping production and installation,” says Tom Blades, CEO of Bilfinger. “That makes us a single source for all the necessary services.”
Bilfinger Noell was additionally awarded a contract for services ranging from designing to commissioning a waste conditioning system for liquid and solid radioactive materials generated during operations at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.
Our subsidiary is also designing and delivering components for the Core Melt Stabilization System (CMSS), which harnesses Bilfinger’s unique expertise to ensure even greater plant safety.
“We are bringing to bear our 360-degree approach in the construction of Hinkley Point C,” says Blades. “Our all-embracing, multifaceted skill sets allow us to provide end-to-end solutions from planning, design and calculation through manufacturing and assembly to commissioning. In recent years, this has secured us an outstanding market position in our cooperation with the nuclear technology industry in Germany and abroad.”
HINKLEY POINT C
Hinkley Point C is the first new nuclear power plant to be built in the UK in over 20 years. Commissioned by Électricité de France (EDF), works currently include construction of two third-generation pressurized water reactors (EPR™), each with a capacity of 1,600 megawatts. They will supply electricity to around six million households.
BALANCE OF PLANT (BOP)
Bilfinger übernimmt die Planung, Konstruktion, Vorfertigung und Lieferung des BOP. Dabei handelt es sich um wesentliche Rohrleitungs- und Hilfssysteme außerhalb des Wasser-Dampf-Kreislaufes (oder Primärkreises) selbst, die zur Lieferung der Energie benötigt werden. Bilfinger wird auch die Installation der GRE-Rohrleitungen übernehmen und beim Lieferantenmanagement unterstützen.
BALANCE OF NUCLEAR ISLAND (BNI)
Das Nuclear Island ist das Herzstück des Kernkraftwerks: Zu ihm gehören der Reaktor, die Dampferzeuger und die primären Sicherheits- und Rohrleitungssysteme. Bilfinger verantwortet die Ausführungsplanung, Konstruktion, Beschaffung und Vorfertigung von Rohrleitungen und übernimmt außerdem Teile des Lieferantenmanagements.
NUCLEAR STEAM SUPPLY SYSTEM (NSSS)
Beim NSSS handelt es sich um das nukleare Dampfversorgungssystem, das zum Antrieb der Turbinen-Generator-Einheit und der Erzeugung von kohlenstoffarmer Elektrizität dient. Bilfinger übernimmt die Ausführungsplanung, Beschaffung, Vorfertigung und Montage der Rohrleitungen sowie Teile des Lieferantenmanagements.
ABFALL-KONDITIONIERUNGS-ANLAGE
Bilfinger ist für die Konzeption, Konstruktion, Fertigung, Lieferung, Montage und Inbetriebnahme einer Konditionierungsanlage für flüssige und feste radioaktive Betriebsabfälle verantwortlich. Damit die Betriebsabfälle sicher und platzsparend konditioniert werden, kommen Verfahren zur Sortierung, Zerkleinerung und Kompaktierung zum Einsatz, ehe die Abfallgebinde vor ihrer Verdeckelung mit Beton vergossen werden.
CORE MELT STABILIZATION SYSTEM (CMSS)
Bilfinger konstruiert, fertigt und liefert das CMSS. In den letzten Jahren hat Bilfinger bereits das CMSS für die Kernkraftwerksneubauten in Flamanville 3 (Frankreich), in Olkiluoto 3 (Finnland) und in Taishan 1 und 2 (China) entwickelt und geliefert.